APEX at Scale: Your Blueprint for Modernizing Oracle Forms
Online / February 25, 2026 · 10 am EST
→ With Simon Hunt, Head of Product Management Oracle APEX at ORACLE
Overview
What this webinar is about
In this webinar, we will explore how to modernize large enterprise Oracle Forms applications using Oracle APEX. You will learn a proven roadmap for migration, best practices for building APEX at scale, and how to ensure performance, security, and business continuity throughout the process. Real-world examples will show what works, what to avoid, and how to overcome common challenges.
Simon Hunt, Head of Product Management Oracle APEX, will make clear that Oracle APEX is trusted worldwide to deliver secure, scalable, mission-critical, data-driven applications – making it the ideal platform for modernizing Oracle Forms and future-proofing existing investments.
Key Outcomes
What you’ll walk away with
Why APEX is the enterprise-ready successor to Oracle Forms — even for large, mission-critical systems
A proven modernization blueprint: the steps, decisions, and milestones that make modernization predictable
How to build APEX applications at scale with performance, security, and maintainability
Real-world examples: what works, what to avoid, and how to handle complex Forms logic
Agenda highlights
What we’ll cover
Why modernization is strategically critical now
APEX as an enterprise-grade platform for large applications
Common limitations of Forms in enterprise environments
Why APEX works for large-scale, mission-critical applications
Decision model: Refactor, Rewrite, Replatform, or Hybrid
Architecture principles for enterprise APEX applications
Going faster and more secure with the Forms2Apex Modeler.
Insights from a Forms-to-Apex migration at a State Government Agency
Live Q&A to address your specific questions and requirements.
Speakers
Your experts for this session
Stephan La Rocca Business Development Manager, PITSS
Stephan has been helping companies to bring their Forms applications to the next level and maximize profit for over 20 years. He can be seen presenting innovative solutions for Oracle applications at events such as the DOAG (German Oracle Users Group) Conference.
Sacha Sander Global Sales, PITSS
Sacha Sander has been on board since PITSS was founded. He fills the position of Senior Vice President of Global Sales. His customers appreciate him as a competent source of ideas and reliable partner in choosing the right solutions in software modernization.
Simon Hunt Head of Product Management – Oracle APEX
Simon Hunt is head of programme management for Oracle APEX at Oracle, driving delivery across an enterprise low-code platform used by more than 500,000 developers worldwide. A technologist by background, Simon has 22 years of experience in the UK defence sector, where he’s designed and delivered mission-critical applications and digital services with a strong emphasis on security, accreditation, integration, and maintainability.
Ready to learn more about modernization?
Explore our comprehensive solutions and use cases to see how we can help transform your Oracle infrastructure.
Solutions Explore our Customized Optimization and Modernization of Oracle applications. From Forms to APEX, Reports to Jaspersoft, we provide end-to-end migration strategies.
Use Cases Discover real-world success stories and practical applications of our modernization tools. See how organizations across industries have successfully transformed their Oracle infrastructure.
Modernizing legacy Oracle Student Records System into a modern cloud platform
Client’s Detail
Technologies & Use Cases
Modernizing legacy Oracle Student Records System into a modern cloud platform
Client’s Detail
Technologies & Use Cases
Top Outcomes at a Glance
Faster, more reliable university systems for students and staff
New visibility into workflows through process mining
Low-risk modernization path with zero data loss
Proactive, data-driven optimization instead of reactive troubleshooting
Interview with Dr. Arthur Clune CTO at University of Sheffield
Dr. Arthur Clune discusses Sheffield’s modernization journey and the role of PITSS.CON in managing complex Oracle environments.
“PITSS.CON has enabled us to just enable a config switch for more logging and then analyse that later, and then see where our processes get stuck, where our data goes, and use that to then redesign those processes to be more efficient.”
Dr. Arthur Clune CTO, University of Sheffield
Interview with Dr. Arthur Clune CTO at University of Sheffield
Dr. Arthur Clune discusses Sheffield’s modernization journey and the role of PITSS.CON in managing complex Oracle environments.
“PITSS.CON has enabled us to just enable a config switch for more logging and then analyse that later, and then see where our processes get stuck, where our data goes, and use that to then redesign those processes to be more efficient.”
Dr. Arthur Clune CTO, University of Sheffield
The Challenge
Two decades of legacy infrastructure struggling to support modern academic operations
The University of Sheffield, a leading research-intensive institution in Northern England with approximately 35,000 students specializing in science, engineering, and medicine, found itself at a technological crossroads. At the heart of its academic operations sat a mission-critical student record system built on Oracle Forms—a system that had faithfully served the university for nearly 20 years.
This core system managed the complete student lifecycle: from initial applications and admissions through year-to-year progression, exam tracking, results management, graduation, and post-graduation records. While functionally sound and operationally stable, the system had become increasingly complex and outdated over time.
Key Challenges Identified:
> Legacy Oracle and Forms versions running on outdated infrastructure
> Period of underinvestment had left the system “a little bit behind the times”
> Aging on-premise hardware limiting reliability and performance
> Growing complexity making maintenance increasingly difficult
> Limited ability to support future innovation and modernization
Despite these challenges, the system remained operational and critical to the university’s daily operations. CTO Dr. Arthur Clune characterized it as “very large, very complex, but it works”—a testament to its robustness even as modernization became increasingly necessary.
The Challenge
Two decades of legacy infrastructure struggling to support modern academic operations
The University of Sheffield, a leading research-intensive institution in Northern England with approximately 35,000 students specializing in science, engineering, and medicine, found itself at a technological crossroads. At the heart of its academic operations sat a mission-critical student record system built on Oracle Forms—a system that had faithfully served the university for nearly 20 years.
This core system managed the complete student lifecycle: from initial applications and admissions through year-to-year progression, exam tracking, results management, graduation, and post-graduation records. While functionally sound and operationally stable, the system had become increasingly complex and outdated over time.
Key Challenges Identified:
> Legacy Oracle and Forms versions running on outdated infrastructure
> Period of underinvestment had left the system “a little bit behind the times”
> Aging on-premise hardware limiting reliability and performance
> Growing complexity making maintenance increasingly difficult
> Limited ability to support future innovation and modernization
Despite these challenges, the system remained operational and critical to the university’s daily operations. CTO Dr. Arthur Clune characterized it as “very large, very complex, but it works”—a testament to its robustness even as modernization became increasingly necessary.
The Solution
A comprehensive modernization strategy leveraging PITSS.CON, AWS cloud, and Oracle APEX
1. Automated Forms Upgrades
>
PITSS.CON’s first major application at Sheffield was streamlining Oracle Forms version migrations. The platform enables structured, automated upgrades that are “quicker, reliable, and easier to scale” across multiple systems. For this project, Sheffield engaged both the PITSS.CON software and the PITSS professional services team, who worked as an extension of their internal team to execute the Forms upgrades.
2. AWS Cloud Migration
>
The university transitioned from aging on-premise hardware to running natively in AWS. This migration encompassed upgrading to the latest Oracle and Forms versions while completely re-architecting the system’s infrastructure. The cloud migration delivered immediate benefits in speed and reliability for end users. More strategically, it provided an opportunity to map out system architecture, redesign integrations, analyze data flows, and establish a foundation for future innovation.
3. Oracle APEX Integration
>
Originally a pure Forms environment, Sheffield’s system evolved to incorporate Oracle APEX and Java components. APEX was introduced specifically to leverage existing PL/SQL business logic while modernizing the user experience—an incremental approach the team describes as “a better user experience while keeping that well-tested, well-used core logic the same.” This strategy allows Sheffield to avoid discarding decades of proven business logic in Forms and the database. Instead, APEX provides a lower-risk upgrade path with improved UX, reusing existing logic that’s been refined over 20 years of operation. The first APEX application deployed was a research grant and costing tool, demonstrating how data flows seamlessly between APEX apps, the database, Forms applications, and Java components.
4. Process Mining & Analytics
>
With such a complex, interconnected system, tracking data and process flows across multiple applications presented significant challenges. PITSS.CON’s process mining capabilities enable Sheffield to trace user journeys across the entire ecosystem—from APEX apps into the database, through Forms applications, potentially to Java apps, and back again. The implementation is elegantly simple: enable tracing via a configuration switch at deployment, then analyze the collected data to identify bottlenecks, unused code, and opportunities for optimization. Dr. Clune notes this is “”key for us to be able to identify high impact areas where we can put the effort in to make the experience better.” Discover Process Mining capabilities
The Solution
A comprehensive modernization strategy leveraging PITSS.CON, AWS cloud, and Oracle APEX
1. Automated Forms Upgrades
>
PITSS.CON’s first major application at Sheffield was streamlining Oracle Forms version migrations. The platform enables structured, automated upgrades that are “quicker, reliable, and easier to scale” across multiple systems. For this project, Sheffield engaged both the PITSS.CON software and the PITSS professional services team, who worked as an extension of their internal team to execute the Forms upgrades.
2. AWS Cloud Migration
>
The university transitioned from aging on-premise hardware to running natively in AWS. This migration encompassed upgrading to the latest Oracle and Forms versions while completely re-architecting the system’s infrastructure. The cloud migration delivered immediate benefits in speed and reliability for end users. More strategically, it provided an opportunity to map out system architecture, redesign integrations, analyze data flows, and establish a foundation for future innovation.
3. Oracle APEX Integration
>
Originally a pure Forms environment, Sheffield’s system evolved to incorporate Oracle APEX and Java components. APEX was introduced specifically to leverage existing PL/SQL business logic while modernizing the user experience—an incremental approach the team describes as “a better user experience while keeping that well-tested, well-used core logic the same.” This strategy allows Sheffield to avoid discarding decades of proven business logic in Forms and the database. Instead, APEX provides a lower-risk upgrade path with improved UX, reusing existing logic that’s been refined over 20 years of operation. The first APEX application deployed was a research grant and costing tool, demonstrating how data flows seamlessly between APEX apps, the database, Forms applications, and Java components.
4. Process Mining & Analytics
>
With such a complex, interconnected system, tracking data and process flows across multiple applications presented significant challenges. PITSS.CON’s process mining capabilities enable Sheffield to trace user journeys across the entire ecosystem—from APEX apps into the database, through Forms applications, potentially to Java apps, and back again. The implementation is elegantly simple: enable tracing via a configuration switch at deployment, then analyze the collected data to identify bottlenecks, unused code, and opportunities for optimization. Dr. Clune notes this is “”key for us to be able to identify high impact areas where we can put the effort in to make the experience better.” Discover Process Mining capabilities
The Results
Measurable performance gains and a sustainable path forward for continuous improvement
Enhanced Performance & Reliability
The migration to AWS delivered immediate, tangible improvements in system speed and reliability for all end users. Moving from aging on-premise hardware to cloud-native infrastructure eliminated performance bottlenecks that had accumulated over years of operation, providing a noticeably better experience for both students and staff.
Operational Intelligence Through Process Mining
Even in the early stages of implementation, process mining has revealed previously invisible workflow inefficiencies. The university can now track complete user journeys across their multi-application environment, identifying where processes become stuck, which code paths are no longer used, and where optimization efforts will have the greatest impact.
This capability transforms system management from reactive troubleshooting to proactive optimization, enabling data-driven decisions about where to invest development resources.
Low-Risk Modernization Path
By integrating Oracle APEX with their existing Forms and PL/SQL infrastructure, Sheffield has established an incremental modernization strategy that doesn’t require discarding two decades of proven business logic. This approach significantly reduces risk compared to a complete system replacement while still delivering modern user experiences.
The university can now modernize components progressively, keeping what works while improving what needs updating—a sustainable strategy for long-term system evolution.
The Results
Measurable performance gains and a sustainable path forward for continuous improvement
Enhanced Performance & Reliability
The migration to AWS delivered immediate, tangible improvements in system speed and reliability for all end users. Moving from aging on-premise hardware to cloud-native infrastructure eliminated performance bottlenecks that had accumulated over years of operation, providing a noticeably better experience for both students and staff.
Operational Intelligence Through Process Mining
Even in the early stages of implementation, process mining has revealed previously invisible workflow inefficiencies. The university can now track complete user journeys across their multi-application environment, identifying where processes become stuck, which code paths are no longer used, and where optimization efforts will have the greatest impact.
This capability transforms system management from reactive troubleshooting to proactive optimization, enabling data-driven decisions about where to invest development resources.
Low-Risk Modernization Path
By integrating Oracle APEX with their existing Forms and PL/SQL infrastructure, Sheffield has established an incremental modernization strategy that doesn’t require discarding two decades of proven business logic. This approach significantly reduces risk compared to a complete system replacement while still delivering modern user experiences.
The university can now modernize components progressively, keeping what works while improving what needs updating—a sustainable strategy for long-term system evolution.
Long-standing Partnership with PITSS
Sheffield’s relationship with PITSS spans 10-15 years, with PITSS.CON becoming integral to managing their evolving Oracle technology stack. The platform has been essential for enabling development velocity and managing the complexity of a system now encompassing Oracle Forms, Oracle APEX, Java components, and extensive PL/SQL code.
According to Dr. Clune, PITSS.CON “helps us tie those things together and understand what’s going on, make upgrades easier” across their diverse technology ecosystem.
Technologies That Powered the Modernization
PITSS.CON
Modernization & Analysis Tools
Automated Oracle Forms analysis
Process mining and data flow tracking
Code cleanup and optimization
Upgrade acceleration
Oracle APEX
Modern Application Platform
Low-code UI framework
Seamless PL/SQL integration
Runs alongside Oracle Forms
Modern user experience
AWS Cloud
Cloud Infrastructure
Improved performance
Enhanced scalability
Superior reliability
Future-ready architecture
Explore additional case studies to gain further insights
PITSS at Oracle AI World – Unlocking the Future of AI and Cloud for Legacy Applications
Discover how PITSS takes legacy Oracle Forms and Reports apps to AI and Cloud!
Stuttgart/Troy (MI) August 19, 2025 – We are excited to announce that PITSS, a BMFTR*-awarded company for Oracle applications process innovations, and partner of the ITG Group, will be present at this year’s Oracle AI World, October 13–16, 2025, in Las Vegas.
With its innovative products and services, PITSS empowers organizations to transform complex legacy Oracle Forms and Reports applications into modern, cloud-based, and AI-driven systems.
As many enterprises continue to rely on business-critical legacy applications, PITSS provides the tools and expertise to unlock their potential for the future. By enabling seamless migration to the Cloud and integrating the power of AI, PITSS helps companies reduce costs, increase agility, and build sustainable digital business models.
“At PITSS, our mission is to open the path from legacy to innovation,” said Stephan La Rocca, Director Business Development at PITSS. “Being part of Oracle AI World gives us the opportunity to showcase how our modernization solutions accelerate digital transformation and prepare businesses for the next era of technology.”
PITSS will present best practices and use cases on how enterprises can move from traditional systems to a modern IT landscape, harnessing the benefits of Cloud and AI.
Find more information on Oracle AI World 2025 here.
[WEBINAR]
Goodbye Forms Legacy – Hello APEX-Efficiency
Business Process-based migration from Oracle Forms to APEX
October 8, 2025 | 10 am EDT / 4 pm CEST
Migrate Smarter with a Process-Driven Approach
Still using Oracle Forms – but no one dares to touch them?
For many companies, this story is all too familiar: applications built on Oracle Forms decades ago, often by colleagues long retired. Documentation is scarce, expertise is gone—yet the system remains mission-critical. Deeply tied to your processes, but fragile. Any change feels risky. Outdated technology makes even small adjustments a major hurdle.
But change is inevitable. When business processes evolve, your applications must keep pace.
Our Solution: Business Process-Based Modernization
We don’t just rebuild—we modernize at the level that matters most: your business processes. By analyzing how your processes work today and what your application must deliver, we create a modern solution that is future-ready, technically sound, and perfectly aligned with your operations.
>> In this webinar, discover how a business process-driven migration from Oracle Forms to Oracle APEX turns legacy into opportunity and delivers measurable business value.
What You’ll Learn
Structured modernization: How the F2A modernization process enables process-based migration.
Efficiency through innovation: Automation, digitization, and self-service in action.
Real business impact: Why moving from Forms to APEX is more than a technical upgrade – it’s a strategic business decision.
Session Highlights:
Real-world insights into a process-driven migration
Demonstration of efficiency and UX gains
Transferability use cases across industries
Your Take-Away:
✅ Process-based migration = measurable business value
✅ Self-service + automation = relief for teams & better user experience
✅ Practical example = clear, relatable benefits
✅ Modernization = not just IT, but a true business enabler
Please note: Webinar attendees will be given preferential consideration.
REGISTER NOW FOR THE WEBINAR: Goodbye Forms Legacy – Hello APEX-Efficiency
Your Speakers:
Stephan La Rocca
Business Development Manager, PITSS
Stephan has been helping companies to bring their Forms applications to the next level and maximize profit for over 20 years. He can be seen presenting innovative solutions for Oracle applications at events such as the DOAG (German Oracle Users Group) Conference.
Sacha Sander
Global Sales, PITSS
Sacha Sander has been on board since PITSS was founded. He fills the position of Senior Vice President of Global Sales. His customers appreciate him as a competent source of ideas and reliable partner in choosing the right solutions in software modernization.
Top Outcomes at a Glance
The Challenge
The Solution
The Results
